CLUB OVERVIEW (I)MSC start training with
an eye on titleAtif Azam Defending champions Mohammedan Sporting Club will be eyeing to retain their crown as they start their preparations for the upcoming Dhaka Premier League on Monday.
The Motijheel outfit, who spent more than Tk 2 crore on the players this season, ended their long trophy drought last year and are determined to repeat the act despite losing some of their seasoned campaigners.
Mohammedan had to release at least three star performers – Mohammad Ashraful to CCS, Mahmudullah to Abahani and Aftab Ahmed to Old DOHS – for a pool barrier
All-rounder Marshal Ayub, spinner Saqlain Sajib, pacemen Delwar Hossain and Sajedul Islam left Mohammedan making the job harder for them this season.
But the club must be happy with their replacements as they managed to add some proven players to the side. The biggest addition is of course Sakib al Hasan, the leading one-day all-rounder in the world, who came from arch-rivals Abahani, reportedly for a record fee of Tk 30 lakh.
Mohammedan also prised Nazimuddin and Enamul Hoque Jr from Gazi Tanks, Muktar Ali and Shubhashish Roy from Abahani, Tareq Aziz from Bangladesh Biman, Fariduddin Masud from Kalabagan and Bangladesh Under-19 player Nur Hossain, who played in the first division last season.
Another plus point would be national opener Tamim Iqbal, who was part of their squad last season but played just one game. A fully-fit Timim is ready to compensate the club this time around.
Mohammedan also have had some trouble with their foreign players last season and they are desperate to avoid it this time. Sri Lankan Farveez Maharoof was carrying an injury when he joined the side and by the time he regained his fitness it was time for him to leave.
Once Maharoof left, Mohammedan struggled to find a replacement and finally had to bring in Pakistani Rana Naved-ul Hasan, who was a big flop until the last game against Abahani. Fahim Muntasir, club’s cricket manager, said they are confident to get former Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik from the beginning of the season. Muntasir hoped if Shoaib finally comes, he along with Sakib will give them a big advantage over the other sides as they both can bat and bowl.
Former Bangladesh skipper Khaled Mashud is likely to be retained as captain of the team. Manager Muntasir has full confidence in the side that bristles with youth and experience.
‘We have a strong batting line-up and a very good spin attack which is what you need to be successful in the Dhaka league. We have every element here,’ said Muntasir.
He defended the decision of retaining Faisal Hossain at the expense of big names like Mahmudullah, Ashraful and Aftab from the pool quota.
‘We want performance, not names and I think he [Faisal] is one of the best performers in domestic cricket,’ Fahim said.
The crucial spin department will be handled by Sakib, Enamul Haque Jr, Nur Hossain, Fariduddin Masud and Faisal along with Malik, which gives the side a lot of variation.

CLUB OVERVIEW (2)Biman aim to end title droughtAzad Majumder Biman Bangladesh Airlines, the traditional powerhouse of local cricket, are aiming to end their long trophy drought when they will play in the upcoming Dhaka Premier Cricket League.Runners-up to Abahani and Mohammedan SC respectively in two of the last three seasons, Biman last won the coveted title in 1999-2000 when a bizarre format of 80-over league was held.The last decade was dominated by Old DOHS and Abahani, but Biman still maintained their status as strong challengers for the title and the club officials and players said this time it will not be any exception.Despite many chopping and changing in the other sides, Biman almost retained their last year’s team that had staged a remarkable comeback in the super league after three consecutive defeats almost ruined their campaign.Only Mehrab Hossain Jr (Old DOHS), Tareq Aziz (Mohammedan) and Imran Ahmed (Prime Doleshwar) have left the club, but Biman officials said it won’t affect them much.Biman have added just two players – all-rounder Dollar Mahmud from Mohammedan and Monwar Hossain from Khelaghar – to their squad. They will bolster the pace attack, led by Shafiul Islam and Talha Jubair.Skipper Sanuar Hossain also has enough confidence in spinners duo Elias Sunny and Mosharraf Rubel, though they are not as good as a few others spinners of the rival sides.Sunny, who recently showed his all-round quality in the NCL final for Dhaka, is providing Sanuar the best hopes.‘He was the highest wicket-taker along with Suhash [Shafiul] and I am sure he will maintain the form this time,’ said Sanuar, who is leading the club for the last seven years and has a big say in the team selection unlike the captains of the other sides.Batting is, however, a concern for Sanuar despite the presence of Jahirul Islam and Mushfiqur Rahim. Sanuar hoped that with the arrival of their foreign players they will be able to overcome the problem.One big headache for Biman is, however, getting quality foreign players, said Sanuar.‘The World Cup cricket is barely two months away and at this stage no big player wants to leave home. They want to be in the eyes of the selectors which made it really difficult for us,’ he said.Biman last year fielded Sri Lankan Jehan Mubarak but this year he is not interested for the same reason. Indian players are also unavailable for the ongoing Ranji Trophy, making the Pakistani players an obvious choice for them.‘We are in touch with a few Pakistani players. But I can’t tell the names as none gave us any firm commitment,’ Sanuar said.

CLUB OVERVIEW (3)Abahani seek to regain title Atif Azam Abahani Limited, who missed out on their fourth consecutive Dhaka Premier League title last season, will be seeking to revive their fortune when they start their campaign this season.
Abahani were extremely unlucky not to have won the league for a record fourth time in a row as they went down to arch-rivals Mohammedan SC in the last match. Mohammedan skipper Khaled Mashud struck a boundary in the last ball to take his side home and lift their first league title in eight years.
The defeat not only cost Abahani the record, but also took them to third position. Abahani held their former skipper Sakib al Hasan responsible for the tragedy as they thought his field placing in the decisive final ball was inappropriate.
An insulted and disheartened Sakib left the club this season for Mohammedan, but Abahani remained confident that they can do without him. In total they lost six players to other sides during the transfers but added nine players to bolster the squad.
Apart from Sakib, Abahani lost Shubhashish Roy and Muktar Ali to Mohammedan, Nasir Hossain to Gazi Tank Cricketers, Arafat Sunny to Kalabagan KC and Nadif Chowdhury to newcomers Prime Doleshwar.
Masud Iqbal Mamun, the cricket operations manager of Abahani, is hopeful that their departures would not affect the club.
‘We have got quality replacements in every department,’ Mamun told New Age.
The apparent replacement for Sakib is Mahmudullah, who played the key role in Mohamme-dan’s win against Abahani with a brilliant half-century in the last game. Abahani also prised Marshal Ayub and Saqlain Sajib from Mohammedan to add some variety to their spin attack.
Tapash Baishya and Hannan Sarker joined them from Surjo Tarun while all-rounder Farhad Hossain joined from Gazi Tanks. Abul Hossain of Old DOHS and promising under-19 players Anamul Haq and Alauddin Babu were added to the squad.
‘We have a very balanced side and I hope it is good enough to win the championship,’ said coach Khaled Mahmud, who spurned the BCB job to join the club. Mahmud, however, underlined the necessity of signing quality foreign players.
‘The foreign recruits would be very vital. We need an experienced player who could be used as a third seamer,’ he said.
Veteran Mohammad Rafique and Mahmudullah will lead their spin attack and Saqlain is there to provide them the back-up. Mashrafee bin Murtaza and Tapash will remain at the forefront of their pace attack.
Imrul Kayes along
with Rony Talukder, Marshal, Farhad, Anamul and wicketkeeper Sahgir Hossain will provide the backbone to their batting line-up.